time major winner and former world No. 1 Ernie Els has been voted into the World Golf Hall of Fame as part of the class of 2011. The 40-year-old, whose selection in the Hall of Fame's PGA Tour category was announced Wednesday, will be inducted on May 9 at the World Golf Village in St. Augustine, Florida. “It was quite a surprise,” South African Els told reporters with a broad smile at East Lake Golf Club. “I thought you had to be a little bit more senior. “You'd like to think you could have done more and can still do more, but obviously I'm very, very honored to be inducted.” Popularly known as the ‘Big Easy' because of his imposing physique and laidback demeanor, Els earned Hall of Fame selection in the first year he was on the PGA Tour ballot. Els has won more than 60 professional tournaments worldwide, including the US Open in 1994 and 1997 and the 2002 British Open at Muirfield. Els joins American Doug Ford, the late Jock Hutchison and former President George H.W. Bush in the Hall of Fame's class of 2011. Ford and Scotland-born Hutchison, each of whom won two major titles, were selected in the veterans category.
